One day old poult questions

[prycetag]

My baby turkey who just hatched yesterday is now under the heat lamp. I just have a few questions as I have never hatched a turkey before.

What colour are their poos supposed to be? Does a green poo seem normal at this point?

Do baby poults sleep a lot? It just lies down and puts it's head down quite a bit, just wanted to know if this is normal.

Is there anything else I should be aware of when trying to look after this little one?

Lynda

 

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

Yes green watery poo is completely normal until they start eating feed, then it will start getting thicker and more tan colored.

Babies sleep ALOT and when poults hatched, they were quite wobbly and took a while to get avtive. That's normal.

Is there only 1 that hatched? If she's all by herself, I would get some day olds from the hatchery to keep her company. They don't do well they're lonely. I even raised my with chicks and had no problem. Make sure she is eating and drinking after you take her out of the incubator. Turkey poults are notoriously slow to figure out the essentials. If you get baby chicks, they will show her how to eat and drink. Make sure she cant climb into the waterer and drown or get hypothermia, put marbles or stones in the rim.

 

[prycetag]

Thanks so much for the response. Yes she/he (don't know yet) is by herself as I never expected to have a turkey. My friend was given some fertile eggs to put under her broody chicken and the hen hatched the baby chicks but then got off the nest. So we put the turkey egg in the incubator, but we never really expected it to hatch. Now it has and so it is alone. I don't know anyone with day old chicks. I might have to do a search.

She seems to be doing well. I researched a lot on google and read about them not eating and drinking well so I have been quite vigilant with that. I do feel bad for her being by herself though.

Good to know to sleeping a lot is normal and not being very steady on the legs is normal.

Thanks again.

 

[prycetag]

One more question, would it be ok and would it work to put the turkey poult in with the hen and her two week old chicks at night time? Is it possible she would take it or am I better off not doing that?

 

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

Your broody will most likely see the poult as a threat to her chicks and try to kill her. I would try to find someone with day olds. I also think chicks 2 weeks old would be too much for a little 2 day old poult, I wouldn't want to see her get hurt.

I almost forgot! You can put a mirror in with her in the meantime while you find companions for her. Seeing a moving chick in the mirror seems to make them less lonely but it still doesn't make up for real social interaction.

 

[prycetag]

Good news, I got a couple of day old bantam crosses and they are happily in there with the turkey now. All looks good so far. They straight away went over the the poult and the poult hid in the corner. lol. I checked a few minutes later and they seem fine. The chicks want to be with the turkey. They are pecking at the food Thanks so much for the advice.

 

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

No problem, good luck with your babies

 

[prycetag]

At what age can I start to introduce the turkey to my other chickens? And when can she be put outside with them to live?

 

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

I waited until mine were as big as my top rooster, I didn't want to have problems with them fighting. It worked out great.

 

[prycetag]

I don't have any roosters so can I try earlier. Do they have to be so many weeks old or anything?